Haverford High School Class of 1960

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

In this section of our website, we will be posting reminiscences from classmates that honor our teachers, coaches and mentors from HHS that have made lasting positive contributions to our lives.
-----------------------------------------------------------My Best Teachers by Andrea Levens Bell Paul

Mrs. Baird and Ms. Weiser rank at the top of my best teachers list.

Mrs. Mildred Baird was my second grade teacher at Oakmont Elementary School. Though I don't remember in detail, I know that she was soooo special to me that we remained in contact with each other for years until she passed away. She was an avid Eagles fan and had season tickets.

Ms. Weiser was an outstanding Haverford Junior High School English teacher with a reputation for strictness. I can recall being nervous when I heard I would be in her class. Though strict, she made sure you knew what she expected of you from the first day and throughout the year. She always told her class that each student would be required to hand in a notebook at the end of the year detailing what they had learned. Mine was titled "My Garden Of English" and I held on to it for many years.

Ms. Weiser excelled at teaching, made you learn and appreciate learning, was fair, beautiful and the Best!
---------------------------------------------------------- A Special "Thanks" to a Special Teacher - by Ted Larson

In the Business Math course at HHS, Ben Pierciey went beyond his course objectives to include basic algebra to the delight of some of us who were a bit slow at learning math. Years later, Pierciey's teaching methods allowed me to tackle linear programming before the introduction of desktop computers.

Despite his gruffness, Ben Pierciey was not only a caring teacher, but also an accomplished musician. He spent many late afternoons coaching "Ben Pierciey's Downbeats", a dance band with 12 HHS student musicians. We performed at parties and weddings, won the Pennsylvania state "Bands of Tomorrow" competition and recorded an "RCA Custom Records" long play album. I still have that cherished album. I only regret that I haven't picked up the tenor sax since college, except to "entertain" my wife and kids.

For those interested, members of the Downbeats at the time of the recording were Margaret Weinert, Ed Davis, Ted Larson, Peggy Pfitzenmaier, Jack Conaway, George Griffin, Kenny Morrison, Jimmy Burke, Jeff Maitland, Alan Buchanan, Charlie Bozza and Peggy Brearley.
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Fun With Chemistry by Jack Conaway

I'll never forget the class. After he had introduced a particularly tough batch of information, Joseph Schmuckler said that we had time left for one experiment. First he poured some base solution into a test tube. Then he filled a small glass vial with an acidic solution and carefully inserted it into the tube so that the two fluids did not mix. Finally, putting a cork in the test tube he shook it and fired the cork at the students. The students all jumped to their lab stations, repeating the experiment, and a gigantic cork fight started only to be stopped by the bell for the next class.

Mr. Schmuckler somehow made the difficult and potentially boring subject of chemistry fun to learn. Until I took my first chemistry course at Drexel, I had no idea how much information he had sneaked into our heads. The Drexel course, which was considered to be a terror by most first year students, turned out to be nothing more than a review of what I had been taught by Mr. Schmuckler.

What a great teacher!
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Leading the Way by Joanne Lipson Beck

The teacher that led the way for me was Miss Madge Nickerson, my English teacher in the 11th and 12th grades.She was inspirational through her teaching and her dignified demeanor, and made the subject of English - especially literature and poetry - come alive.
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Saturday, January 16, 2010

Here are some photos taken at our 45th reunion. If you have other photos from past reunions you wish to share with our class, please email them to Jack Conaway (jack.conaway@gmail.com) along with the number of the reunion (a multiple of 5 years) and the subject description or names of classmates in the picture.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

The following is dedicated as a remembrance to those classmates that are no longer with us. A few, such as Jim Winter and Pete Haring, were snatched away in their early years while some like Russ Hermann, Phyllis Pintzuk, Malcolm Osbourne and Bob Hey lived longer, productive lives and passed away more recently. If you can confirm the passing of any classmate that does not appear below, please contact us so we can add them to this memorial.

Our friends are sorely missed.

Andrea Ann Assalone

601 Lakeside Avenue

Havertown

"Andy"

Secretarial Club 3

Bowling 2,3

Basketball 3

Decoration Committee

Secretarial or Music Career

Judith Ann Bates

12 Sunnyhill Lane

Havertown

"Budy"

Bowling 2,3

Art Club 2

Air Line Hostess or Private Secretary

Robert G. and Lee Roy Bates
1413 Fairview Avenue

Havertown

"Bob" and "Roy"

Spanish Club 2,3

Swimming Club

College

Lee Roy “Roy” Bates Jr., 68, of Collingdale, a retired switchman, died Sept. 2, 2010 at home. Born in Darby, he lived in Collingdale for 44 years and was formerly of Havertown. After HHS, Roy attended West Chester University. He worked as a switchman for 39 years and was employed by Bell of Pennsylvania.

Roy was a former firefighter with Bon Aire Fire Co. He was also a former commissioner of the Collingdale Athletic Club, an umpire, and former CYO football coach with St. Joseph School. He was survived by his wife, Dolores Carroll Bates; sons, Thomas Bates of Media, Daniel Bates of Exton;
brothers, Peter Bates of Springfield, Donald Bates of Media.

Mari Anne Berg

2535 Woodleigh Road

Havertown

FHA 1
College Club 1,2

Fordian 2,3

Spanish Club 2,3

WHHS

College

David Schaum Burlew

300 Marple Road

Havertown
"Dave"

Social Committee
Attend Penn State and then own a dairy farm in Penna.

Russell C. Herrmann Jr., 68, most devoted husband, father and Pop Pop, of Glen Burnie/Severna Park, Md., formerly of Havertown, died March 17, 2011 of a heart attack.

He was born Aug. 29, 1942 in Philadelphia to Russell C. Herrmann Sr. and Helen Fullerton Herrmann. Russ was a retired school teacher and coach of the Haverford Township schools, where he touched countless lives. He spent summers working and playing for the parks and recreation department, where he had some of his most memorable and enjoyable days. Cherished past times include sports, travel, and spending time with his family of whom he was so proud.

Memorial contributions in Russell Herrmann's name may be made to the Haverford Township Department of Parks & Recreation, 599 Glendale Rd., Havertown,PA 19083.

Richard Steven Goehringer

120 Morlyn Avenue

Bryn Mawr

"Shirt"
Finance Comm. 1; Social Comm. 2

Football 2; Cheerleader 2,3

College Club 3

Assembly Comm. 3

Tennis 3, HI-Y

Dick Goehringer passed away suddenly on November 4, 2009. After HHS, he attended Ursinus College, was a proud member of the Air Force National Guard, worked as the sales manager for the Performance Coatings Division of E. I. Dupont de NeMours Company, and resided in Groton, Massachusetts.
He was survived by his wife Suzanne, children Heather and Scott, 3 grandchildren and 5 siblings.

Warren Robert Hey
548 Central Avenue
Havertown
"Bob"
Spanish Club 2,3; Hi-Y 3
Swimming Club 2,3
Social Comm. 1,2,3; F.T.A. 2,3
West Chester S.T.C. or
Penn State: Major in modern
design or teaching

Bob Hey passed away on March 31, 2010 in Daytona Beach, FL. He was born May 29, 1942 in Darby, PA, the son of Warren Albert and Doris Eleanor Young Hey. After Haverford High School, he served in the Coast Guard off Cape May, NJ for two years. Bob was a graduate of Wharton School of Business and Villanova University, Philadelphia, PA. In 1981 he moved to Daytona Beach FL. and was a developer of commercial real estate, hotels, and houses. Bob was a gifted person with a positive outlook and an upbeat attitude with everyone he came in contact with. Bob had a love and passion for old cars, designing and building. He could walk into any building and visualize the reconfiguration of walls and rooms into a beautiful modern structure. Bob used this artistic gift to help design The Silver Beach Club. Bob loved his family, the beach and his dog Max. He is survived by Anne F. Hey; daughters, Michelle Thomas of Sacramento, CA and Cheryl Ahmed of Daytona Beach; five grandchildren and brothers Ronald, Wayne and Dan.

George A. Sargent III died February 18, 1998 in his home in Del Mar, CA. After HHS, George graduated from Haverford College and completed his doctorate at the United States International University at San Diego. Dr. Sargent worked as a psychotherapist, was founder of the Family Center of Group Private Practice, with offices in Vista and Del Mar, CA, and was a member of the faculty at the Gestalt Training Center in La Jolla, CA. He authored various articles in professional journals, and served as president of both the Mental Health Association of San Diego and of the San Diego chapter of the Association for Human Psychology. He was survived by his parents, Margaret and George Jr. of Bryn Mawr; his wife, Berendien; children Randal, John and Martine; and sisters Betsy Sargent and Carol Sargent.